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Assessment of Hemodynamic Conditions in the Aorta Following Root Replacement with Composite Valve-Conduit Graft

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Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of detailed hemodynamics in the aortas of four patients following replacement with a composite bio-prosthetic valve-conduit. Magnetic resonance image-based computational models were set up for each patient with boundary conditions comprising subject-specific three-dimensional inflow velocity profiles at the aortic root and central pressure waveform at the model outlet. Two normal subjects were also included for comparison. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the valve-conduit on flow in the proximal and distal aorta. The results suggested that following the composite valve-conduit implantation, the vortical flow structure and hemodynamic parameters in the aorta were altered, with slightly reduced helical flow index, elevated wall shear stress and higher non-uniformity in wall shear compared to normal aortas. Inter-individual analysis revealed different hemodynamic conditions among the patients depending on the conduit configuration in the ascending aorta, which is a key factor in determining post-operative aortic flow. Introducing a natural curvature in the conduit to create a smooth transition between the conduit and native aorta may help prevent the occurrence of retrograde and recirculating flow in the aortic arch, which is particularly important when a large portion or the entire ascending aorta needs to be replaced.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Vascutek Terumo, Renfrewshire, Scotland and the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre based at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London. The authors declare that although Vascutek Terumo partially supported this study, the funding company had no control, input or influence on the study design, data analysis or publications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Zhuo Cheng, Nigel B. Wood & Xiao Yun Xu

  2. Department of Surgery and Cancer, St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London, London, W2 1NY, UK

    Emaddin Kidher, Omar A. Jarral & Thanos Athanasiou

  3. Institute of Clinical Science, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London, W12 0HS, UK

    Declan P. O’Regan

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  1. Zhuo Cheng
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Correspondence to Xiao Yun Xu.

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Associate Editor Umberto Morbiducci oversaw the review of this article.

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Cheng, Z., Kidher, E., Jarral, O.A. et al. Assessment of Hemodynamic Conditions in the Aorta Following Root Replacement with Composite Valve-Conduit Graft. Ann Biomed Eng 44, 1392–1404 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1453-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1453-x

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